Photo by Jared Tennant | Wikimedia CommonsPerseid meteor shower 2009 Austin, Texas; this year's Perseids should be visible on the nights of Aug. 11 and 12.

By AMANDA JERMYN

What better way to spend a warm summer’s night than lying on a beach looking up at the stars?

Back in the days when I was a teenager I remember doing just that. Stretched out on the sand, my star-crazy date and I gazed in wonder at the night sky and discussed the mysteries of the universe. Wherever you are, on a sandy beach or grassy hilltop, treat yourself to a little stargazing this summer.

Amanda Jermyn, of Longmeadow, has been a member of the Springfield Stars Club since 2000 and currently serves on the club's board of directors. For more information, go online to www.reflector.org or call (800) 336-9054.

Conjunction activities include astronomy presentations, solar and night time viewing through dozens of telescopes, an astronomical flea market and an outdoor buffet dinner. Programs include a roundtable discussion on observing challenging celestial objects led by Sky & Telescope columnist Sue French and Astronomy magazine contributing editor Phil Harrington.

Sara Schechner, curator of Harvard University’s Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, will give the keynote address, “Politics and the Dimensions of the Solar System: Colonial American Observations on the Transit of Venus.” Glenn Chaple will talk on “Saturday Morning Star-toons,” Richard Sanderson will discuss “Science in the age of Misinformation,” and Ron Woodland will talk on “Operation Moonwatch: Amateur/Professional Collaboration at the Dawn of the Space Age.”

This year Stellafane, the 77th convention of Amateur Telescope Makers, will be held from Aug. 16 through 19 on Breezy Hill in Springfield, Vt. This annual gathering gives amateur telescope makers an opportunity to show off their creations and teach one another about telescope making.

The keynote speakers will be “The Meteorite Men,” Steve Arnold, world famous meteorite hunter, and Geoff Notkin, science writer and owner of Aerolite Meteorites. Their televised meteorite hunting adventures have been featured on the Science Channel, PBS, the Discovery Channel and others.

In addition, Al Takeda, laboratory manager at Harvard University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, will offer an astro-imaging workshop, with an emphasis on low-cost equipment. A workshop will also be held on “Historical Telescopes and Related Instrumentation: Conservation and Study.” A key feature of the Stellafane convention is the telescope competition which gives amateur telescope makers a chance to compete for awards. For more information about Stellafane, visit http://stellafane.org/